3 days in Cheshire with the kids

Day one keeps things gentle: a morning at Shugborough Hall, then just 3.3 miles down the road to Amerton Farm and Craft Centre, where the afternoon can be as noisy as it likes. Day two is the longer haul — 52.3 miles to Soughton Hall — so load the snack bag before you set off. Lunch lands 3.8 miles on at the Central Hotel, which holds a 5/5 food hygiene rating, with Old Hawarden Castle a quick 2.3 miles after that.

Day three loops back into Cheshire for Vale Royal Abbey, then 8.6 miles to Peover Hall. Coming by train? Winsford is the nearest station to Cheshire, and Lloyd's of Chester sits just 0.1 miles from Chester station. For something different, Irene is a boating holiday at Bunbury on the Cheshire Ring & Llangollen Canal, sleeping 8 — handy if you're travelling with grandparents in tow.